Facilitators 
What are Facilitators?
Facilitators are focused on supporting bottom-up change. They work within a local organisation leading an evidence-informed change project. Through close collaboration, Facilitators review evidence, lead local change and evaluate. Findings and outcomes are shared for replication across the sector.
Projects
Recruiting more men into social care work
This project is taking place in London.
Helping older people to plan for older age/preventative home visits
This project will be taking place in Northern Ireland.
Tackling loneliness in rural areas
This project is taking place in Scotland.
Community alternatives to hospital in a mental health crisis
This project will be taking place in Wales.
Previous Projects
Latest Project Updates
Project Team
Karen
Watchman
Facilitator Lead (job share)
My practice background is in social care culminating in many years as Chief Executive of Down’s Syndrome Scotland. I then moved into academia where my teaching, research and training have focused on learning disability, ageing and dementia with an emphasis on co-production and developing accessible information. IMPACT provides a rare and exciting opportunity to draw on different types of evidence and learn how best to put this into social care practice across the UK.
Kathryn Mackay
Facilitator Lead (job share)
I am a registered social worker who now works at the University of Stirling. My teaching, research and writing reflect my interests in mental health, ageing, adult safeguarding and supporting human rights in everyday life. I joined IMPACT to support agencies to develop services with, rather than for, people who use services and the practitioners who work with them. I believe that without true co-production few things change for the better
Kimberley Coutts-Murray
Facilitator Project Coordinator
I worked in social care for a number of years before completing my MSc in Health Psychology in 2020. Since then, I’ve spent time working with different interdisciplinary teams and research projects across Psychology and Social Sciences. Most recently I supported the Healthy Ageing Challenge, Social Behavioural and Design Research Programme. I joined IMPACT as this is an amazing opportunity to work together to create real change, and to improve the quality of life for people within adult social care.
Nicola Watson
Facilitator
(Scotland)
For over 15 years, I have worked in both local authority and third-sector adult social care organisations. My passion is for everyone in society to be valued for their unique contributions, have real relationships and fulfilled lives. I am excited to be part of IMPACT’s mission to empower people who draw on support and those who support them to make real changes in adult social care.
Marlene Kelly
Facilitator
(England)
I’m passionate about bridging the gap between front-line teams and research, to make things better for the people we support within Social Care. Previously I’ve managed day services and residential services for both younger adults and older people. I’ve specialised in supporting people with Dementia to live well at the end of their life.
Orla Fitzsimons
Facilitator
(Northern Ireland)
I’m a parent carer for a 16-year-old son with disabilities, a mental health service user, and a survivor of domestic abuse. I’m also a Community Children’s Nurse with 25 years of experience working with children and young people with disabilities/palliative care needs, their parent carers and families in Northern Ireland’s communities, homes, and schools. I discovered co-production and its benefits when I (and other parent carers) formed Parent Action CIC, a social enterprise providing independent advocacy services for parent carers.
Catherine Arnold
Facilitator
(Wales)
I joined IMPACT as someone with lived experience of mental health, knowledge of trauma and a drive to make a difference. Co-producing evidence based on people’s experiences of community-based care for bottom-up change is a great fit for me.
My work at Environment Platform Wales is to facilitate environmental research and networking across Welsh Universities. I formerly facilitated First Aid training for the British Red Cross and am currently working to establish an organisation to deliver Trauma-Informed First Aid training.